The Coalition is in open warfare after Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce launched an extraordinary attack on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over his public criticism of his extra-marital affair with former staffer Vikki Campion.
A defiant Mr Joyce accused Mr Turnbull of adding to the hurt and harm caused by the scandal with his ‘inept’ and ‘unnecessary’ comments – likening the PM’s intervention to ‘pulling a scab off’.
Wearing his signature Akubra, the Nationals leader also hit back at Mr Turnbull’s suggestion that Mr Joyce should consider his future, saying there was nothing the junior Coalition partner disliked more than being ‘told what to do about its own leadership’.
The Coalition is in open warfare after Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce (pictured) launched an extraordinary attack on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Mr Joyce launched an extraordinary attack on Mr Turnbull (pictured) over his public criticism of his extra-marital affair with former staffer Vikki Campion
The war of words points to a complete breakdown in relations between the Government’s two most senior leaders (pictured is Ms Campion)
The war of words points to a complete breakdown in relations between the Government’s two most senior leaders and highlights serious ructions in the Coalition – which governs with the support of both the Liberal and Nationals parties.
Mr Turnbull’s comments on Thursday night were viewed by many as an attempt to force the Nationals leader to quit, but a defiant Mr Joyce said he would not be resigning and effectively told the Prime Minister to butt out.
‘Comments by the Prime Minister yesterday at his press conference…in many instances, they caused further harm,’ he said.
‘I believe they were in many instances inept and most definitely in many instances unnecessary.
Wearing his signature Akubra, the Nationals leader (pictured) also hit back at Mr Turnbull’s suggestion that Mr Joyce should consider his future
‘In regards to the National Party there is nothing we dislike more than implied intervention in the processes of the National Party.’
Mr Turnbull responded with his own press conference in which he denied he was trying to influence the Nationals’ processes and said he had not criticised Mr Joyce’s conduct.
‘I have not sought in any way to influence the deliberations of the National Party,’ said Mr Turnbull.
‘Neither I nor my colleagues have made any criticism of the National Party, expressing views of disapproval or criticism of Barnaby’s own conduct.
Mr Turnbull’s comments on Thursday night were viewed by many as an attempt to force the Nationals leader to quit, but a defiant Mr Joyce (pictured) said he would not be resigning and effectively told the Prime Minister to butt out
‘It is not criticism of the National Party, indeed the sentiments that I expressed yesterday … are quite consistent with those expressed by many members of the National Party itself.’
The dramatic tit-for-tat ensures the scandal, which has dominated Parliament, will continue into a third destabilising week for the Government.
Mr Turnbull also came under attack from prominent Nationals MP George Christensen over his plan to introduce a ban on ministers having sex with their staff in the wake of the scandal.
‘The ban is bonkers,’ he wrote on Facebook.
Mr Christensen said there were far more important issues than ‘who’s shagging who in Canberra’.
The dramatic tit-for-tat ensures the scandal, which has dominated Parliament, will continue into a third destabilising week for the Government